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monitoring of reproduction and cub survival, 2) additional (improved) measurements of body
condition, heart function, and wound healing, 3) examination of habitat use and movements with
GPS telemetry, 4) investigation of female dispersal near the southern fringe of the expanding bear
range (Garshelis et al. 2004), and 5) monitoring the incidence of nuisance bears and in particular
any conflicts with soldiers and military training.
In 2008, the MNDNR Forest Wildlife Populations and Research Group initiated a study
site at the edge of bear range in northwestern Minnesota. The goal is to assess the factors that
may limit range expansion, including highly fragmented forested habitat, lack of agricultural
crops that bears can eat, and human-related mortality. Comparisons will be made between GPS
collared bears at the northwestern edge of bear range and collared bears at Camp Ripley, along
the southern edge of their range (Garshelis et al. 2007).
Mortalities and Reproduction
Ground and aerial tracking were used to monitor reproductive success, movements and
survival of ten collared black bears (eight females, two males) through 2009 (Table 12). Bear
#2063 had one cub in 2005 and 2007; this year (2009) at eight years old, she had three cubs and
continues to occupy the northeast portion of Camp Ripley. Bear #2610 was an orphaned cub
placed with bear #2063 in March 2007. Two years old in January 2009, she spent most of the
year on Camp, but occasionally moved across the Crow Wing River. In mid-November she was
on Camp, but crossed the Crow Wing River again and denned in a less populated area of
southwest Baxter, Minnesota (Figure 43).
Bear #2079 (seven years old in 2009) had three cubs in 2007 and an orphan cub was also
placed with her that spring. All four cubs, including the orphaned cub, survived to den in
December, 2007. Three of the four, including the orphan, were females; in March 2008 all three
females were collared with expandable collars and survived through the summer, however, the
orphan (#2611) has not been located since August 2008. The other two females (#2107 and
#2108) were not handled at den visits in 2009, but were located throughout the year in #2079‟s
home range. Bear #2092 (four years old Jan. 2009) had two cubs in 2009, she is one of bear
#2079‟s cubs and her territory overlaps her mother‟s. In the fall of 2008 a landowner reported
that he had found a bear den on his land south west of Green Prairie Fish Lake. On March 12,
2009 a 200 pound male bear (#2122) was collared at the site. This bear occupied much of #2079‟s
territory and was on Camp several times during the year. Although bear #2079 can still be found
on Camp occasionally, she is usually located south of Camp (Figure 44).
2009 Conservation Program Report
Page 66